Media Advisory

Get into Gear with HRM Bike Week June 2nd - 10th, 2007

(Thursday, May 31, 2007) - Community volunteers working with HRM staff have developed an ‘excuse-free’ program for Bike Week 2007. There are over thirty events taking place throughout the Municipality to encourage residents to be more active in their daily lives, while reducing their impact on the environment. Bob White of Bicycle Nova Scotia says “ Dust off the old bike, pump up the tires, and get out for Bike Week! No excuses - your body and mind will love you for it!"”

Don’t have a bicycle? Attend the annual Bicycle Auction & Fair at the Halifax Forum on June 2, from 8am - noon. Hundreds of recovered bicycles will be auctioned off. “Bike Again!” will be inspecting auction bikes and doing minor repairs; there will be kids bike rodeos, activities, and biking displays by community groups and local businesses.

Don’t like to go out in the rain? Outdoor events will take place rain or shine, however there are plenty of options during Bike Week for those who prefer to stay dry.

• Bike Film Night on Monday June 4th at 7pm at Park Lane Cinema, with a collection of short bicycle films including one by former Halifax director Andrea Dorfman.

• Tuesday June 5th at 7pm join Wayne Groszko at the Captain Spry library where he will share tales of his tandem bicycle ride from St. John’s NF to Victoria, B.C.

• Thursday June 7th at 7pm, the Velo Halifax Club will teach you how to plan your own bicycle tour in ‘Bicycle Touring 101' at the Spring Garden Road Library.

• Saturday June 9th at 1pm, parents are invited to gather at the Alderney Gate Library, to discuss how to cycle safely with children of all ages.

Don’t feel comfortable riding with traffic? CAN-BIKE courses will be offered by Community Recreation Services (490-6666) for older youth and adults during Bike Week. Or, ride off-road on one of HRM’s scenic trails: Saturday June 2nd is International Trails Day, and on Tuesday June 5th, Velo Halifax Club is leading ten ‘Trail Teasers’ throughout the Municipality. For the kids, HRM police will be holding six more rodeos on June 3rd and 9th at various HRM schools.

No money? Most Bike Week events are free to the public and some events even have incentives.

• The morning of Wednesday June 6th MEC will provide a free pancake breakfast at the Dartmouth side of the MacDonald Bridge and at the MEC store in downtown Halifax.

• Later that same day, ride your bicycle to the St. Mary’s Boat Club and you can stay for a complimentary one hour boating experience between 4p.m. to 7p.m.

• Sunday June 10th the Yoga Loft is offering a free class for cyclists (registration required).

• Metro Transit is offering free ferry and MetroLink rides for cyclists from June 2-10. Each MetroLink bus is equipped with a bike rack, and secure bike parking at each station.

There is something for everyone, whether you are a seasoned cyclist, commute by bicycle, or haven’t touched a bike since you were a child. There will be bicycle races, heritage tours of downtown Halifax, bicycle orienteering for families, fitness rides for the lycra crowd, and much more! For more information, check out the website at www.halifax.ca/bikeweek..

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For more information, please contact

Hanita Koblents
Co-chair of the HRM Bike Week Committee
490-4181